Everyone Has Reversals

Story Lessons, Big and Small (Warning: Spoilers!)

August 12, 2006

Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Mo

Some stories follow a pair of people, a group, or a team. In those cases? You want the worst character to be your hero.

By worst, I mean most flawed, most selfish, the biggest jerk, and/or the biggest loser. Read: the most interesting one.


Cases in point:


Ghostbusters
- I like 'em all, but the one I want the most time with? That asshole, Bill Murray.


American Pie
- Clueless boys all, but the kid whose viriginity is least likely to go is the biggest doof's: pie-boy.


As Good As It Gets
- Can't wait to cringe at the next horrible thing Jack says.


The In-Laws
- The weight of an arc rests on the shoulders of Alan Arkin or Albert Brooks, depending on your generation.


Any Woody Allen Comedy - Woody Allen. Keywords were flawed, selfish, jerk, and loser, right?

Protagonists have to have a lot of room to move around in, including a lot of room to grow.

This is almost a 'lesson from the incredibly obvious file', but I don't want to throw that header around too lightly...

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

You possess an uncanny understanding for what works in movies better than I think I do, Jennica.

This post, and the one where you break down why Kate Winslet is a more believable woman in Eternal Sunshne than Natalie Portman in Garden State are helping me tremendously as I write my script.

When I become a Hollywood big shot, I'll have my staff send you a big gift certificate. Do they have Bed, Bath & Beyond in Vancouver?

10:29 a.m.  
Blogger Jennica said...

Joe, no Bed, Bath & Beyond, but I will try to keep my Amazon (.ca) wish list up to date for when you're a powerhouse.

Joe's under-selling himself, people. Check out his blog in which he's insightfully logging his rental viewing. He updates much more often than yours truly.

12:46 p.m.  

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